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england_n	act_n	great_a	parliament_n	3,586	5	6.2777	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A95324	The true way to render Ireland happy and secure, or, A discourse; wherein 'tis shewn, that 'tis the interest both of England and Ireland, to encourage foreign Protestants to plant in Ireland In a letter to the right honourable Robert Molesworth, one of His Majesty's honourable Privy Council in Ireland, and one of the members of the honourable House of Commons, both in England and Ireland.	Molesworth, Robert Molesworth, Viscount, 1656-1725.	1697 (1697)	Wing T3129; ESTC R232990	29,409	28

most Countries in the World for the production of Flax and Hemp the Natives of the Country seem to be naturally enclin'd to this Manufacture 'T is plain by the Act of Parliament made not long since in England to take off all Duties and Impositions on the Product of Flax and Hemp from Ireland that England is well enclined to humour the genius of Ireland When we consider what a hand Holland France and the Northern Crowns have made of this Manufacture we may well allow that Ireland which has naturally greater advantages to improve it may be greatly enrich'd by it If we did but furnish England with that Linnen which they have from our neighbouring Countries this wou'd raise us a vast Treasure but I can't see what prejudice it would do England It seems to me to be at least as much their Interest to lay out their money with us who shall employ it in their defence and are their selves as with them who will make it an Instrument of their ruin 'T is the Computation of a very great man that the people of England spend 5 l. a year in Linnen one with another this Computation I suppose is much too large if the 30th part of this were laid out in Ireland 't would be three times as much as the current cash of this Kingdom has ever yet been It cannot easily be conceiv'd how much 't is England's Interest to have this Manufacture improv'd to the heighth 'T is probable that this will be the effect of Encourageing Forreign Protestants to flock hither this may draw in not only the French but many others likewise Since 't is so much our Interest to have Forreign Protetestants settle here How Forreigners may be encourag'd it concerns us to consider how we may incourage them to come in The Parliament which was held in my Lord Rumney's Government in the year 1692 made an Act which Naturaliz'd all Forreign Protestants but that was to be in Force only for Seven years Since that Law will be out of Date within two years I think Sir 't will become the Wisdom of the Nation to make a new Act which shall be in force Twenty years after the expiration of the old one and 't will be for the Publick good I think that by this Law Forreigners be not only Naturaliz'd but made Free of our Corporations likewise This will be for the advantage of the Common-wealth and will not injure particular Trades men as men upon first sight are apt to imagin To vouchsafe Strangers the Freedom of your Country is the first Incouragement the first Act of Kindness and Hospitality that you can shew them But this in good truth is no more than to give Rich men leave to bring in their Wealth and the Poor leave to beg in your Country I cou'd wish that all whom it concerns wou'd seriously consider whether it be not worth the while to lay another bait to draw them in Whether that after you have consider'd the real value of People you will not reckon it money well laid out if you should raise a fund not exceeding to be given to poor Protestants who bring in their Families to settle here I would have this money distributed among the poor French especially because they have been great Sufferers on the account of Religion The greatest Incouragement should be for men of Callings and those shou'd have most who have Wives and most Children This cannot be call'd a Burthen to the Nation because 't will be spent in the Kingdom and will increase its Wealth for the time to come This will not draw in the poor alone but the Rich likewise for they will be fond of living among a people who make such Provision for their poor And because I have shewn that 't is the Interest of England to Incourage Forreign Protestants to settle here 't is to be hop'd that if it can be done some measures will be thought of to prevail upon the King and People of England to raise some Fund there to help poor Forreigners to come over hither When this is done I think Sir that our great Council wou'd do that which would make their Memory dear to postority if they would Address the Government and pray that they would signifie to His Majesty that 't is the request of His great Council here that for promoting the Prosperity and Secureing the Peace of this Nation for the time to come he would in the Grants he makes of Forfeited Lands take some care to have Protestants planted in them If in every Estate Granted by the King the person to whom the Grant is made were oblig'd to plant a considerable number of Protestants in proportion to the Land which is given him and if they were oblig'd to set out a good part of those Estates to Protestant Tenants in Leases for Lives at a small Rent first and to be rais'd afterwards this I think would have a very good Effect and would go a great way towards making the Country Rich and Secure There is another thing which I could wish the Wisdom of our Nation would seriously consider Whether it would not be very much for the Interest of Ireland that the King would grant at least a part of the Forfeited Lands not yet disposed of to Forreign Protestants particularly and that for very good reasons to the French I believe when they consider the thing impartially they will own it I find that in the year 1583 Queen Elizabeth in the Instructions which She gave Sir John Perrot sent Lord Deputy into Ireland when She talks of Disposing of Forfeited Lands here tells him that She 's for giving no more to one than he 's able to furnish people for (a) Manuscript Lambeth L. C. pag. 35. If the King gives Grants to English Gentlemen of England or Ireland without this care taken they must take up with the Irish Tenents that are upon the Land and things must run on in their old course If they furnish people out of England this will unpeople England and impoverish it which 't is our Interest to have full of People and Wealth that we may live the more secure under its protection The great Body of the French Protestants are at this day in a very uneasie and unsettled condition and no one knows how many of them would make this Country a place of Retreat from their severe Persecutions if they heard that the King of Great Britain had granted them Lands to settle upon And when I speak this I cannot but take notice that I think it a great happiness that the Forfeitures not yet dispos'd of are in Conaught If great numbers of the French were planted there that Country which is thinest of Protestants would be render'd as Secure as any part of the Kingdom Before the Reign of King James the first till the Escheated Counties were planted with Protestant Inhabitants and the Londoners Built Derry and Colrane the North of Ireland gave the greatest disturbance

THE TRUE WAY To Render IRELAND Happy and Secure OR A DISCOURSE Wherein 't is shewn that 't is the Interest both of England and Ireland to Encourage Forreign Protestants to Plant in Ireland IN A LETTER To the Right Honourable Robert Molesworth One of His Majesty's Honourable Privy Council in Ireland and one of the Members of the Honourable House of Commons both in England and Ireland DVBLIN Printed by and for Andrew Crook Printer to the King 's Most Excellent Majesty on Cork-Hill near Copper-Alley and for Eliphal Dobson at the Stationers Armes in Castle-Street 1697. SIR WHEN Parliaments Assemble to Treat of the Grand Affairs of the Nation 't is usual for men Without doors to put into their Hands such Schemes and Projects as they think may be Serviceable to the Publick Nor is this Intermeddling of private men reckon'd Bold and Impertinent but those Great and Wise Heads vouchsafe to receive the Proposals of men sometimes of little Figure as readily as they do the Petitions of Injured persons They think 't is reasonable that they who are Chosen to Enact Laws for the good of the Common-wealth should have a due regard to what any Member of the Community proposes for the common good Besides they wisely consider that men of ordinary capacities may sometimes hit upon lucky Thoughts which they by close Application of their minds to them may afterwards improve to the advantage of the Publick When such regard is shewn by Legislators to the Sentiments of Private men an honest man cannot well forbear Offering that to their Consideration which he believes will be a means of settleing the Peace and Prosperity of his Count●● What I here propose Sir is what I think may have that good Effect If the Wisdom of the Nation Judge otherwise I shall sit down contented with the pleasure of being mistaken in my Zeal to serve my Country The Reasons which induced me to recommend this little Pamphlet to you are more then one you and your Ingenious and Worthy Friend Mr. St y were privy first to the Writing of it you have Interest both in England and Ireland as well as parts to compass what it designs The Method which it proposes to promote the good of the Publick is in the main agreeable to your Sentiments and you want neither Courage nor Resolution to contend warmly for that which you ●●e perswaded is for the good of your Country What Entertainment it may meet with I am not able to conjecture your Name in the Front will give it some Reputation and dispose a great many to cast an Eye upon it To give it a little more Credit I can say that a Person of Place and Quality related to you and Dr. Wm. Mo x to whose Judgement I have a very great regard have viewed it and passed their Censure upon it The design of it is to shew what you are throughly convinc'd of that 't is our great Interest to Encourage Forreign Protestants to live among us● This is a ready way to make our Country Flourish and the most effectual course that we have now left in my opinion to secure us a lasting Peace and prevent such Rebellions as for above Five Hundred years together ' since the Conquest of Ireland by King Henry the Second have perpetually disturb'd this Kingdom made it a Dear and Troublesome purchase to England and an uncomfortable Habitation to the English who have been Seated here I know Sir that our people who are as apt to forget a Danger as they are Bold to Encounter it when it lyes in their way do generally reckon that the Irish are so broken by the last Rebellion that it will not be in their Power again to Disturb the Peace of the English here or to put England to any further Charge to Subdue them I shall shew you that the English have reckon'd too much after this rate formerly and it may happen that these too Sanguine hopes may prove very deceitful and be Fatal to them hereafter I do not think that the Irish are yet so subdu'd but that if things run on in the old course they may in process of time meet with circumstances that may favour other Rebellions The Happines or Misery of this Island for the time to come to me seems to depend on the prudent or ill management of the present We have now an opportunity in our hands such as never yet offer'd since Stronghow's Adventurers first brought their Arms into this Country of laying the Foundation of a lasting Peace I need not tell you Sir who are conversant in Histories and know the Changes and Revolutions of the World that the Flourishing Estate of some Countries has been occasion'd by the Ruin of their Neighbours and the intolerable uneasinesses that have forc'd them from their Habitations the present Desolation of France and the usage with Protestants meet with there may be a means of raising the Power a●●●●alth of those Neighbouring Protestant Countries which have Wisdom and Goodness enough to take hold of the opportunity The United Provinces who know that they owe their greatness to the Troubles of Germany and the concourse of people from thence who were Persecuted for Religion make the best hand they can of their Calamities They Entertain the Persecuted Hagonots with the greatest Humanity and are very liberal in their Charity to them They know what the Reward of Charity is and they know of what value people are to their State they cannot Ingross all the Wrack of the French Church the Providence of God seems to Design a part for Ireland and the Security of 〈◊〉 Protestant Religion here and 't is sure if this Deodate be improv'd as it ought that Religion and English Prop●rty may by this means be throughly secured and our Countrey rendred very flourishing The Ground of this hope arises from His Majesty's inclination to that People and that Noble Person to whom he has given a share in the Government The King has always express'd a Christian concern for them and he has as often recommended their Condition to the Charitable consideration of His Parliament as he has desir'd necessary Supplies for carrying on the War 'T is not then to be doubted but that His Majesty will Give them Encouragement to Settle and Plant in Ireland when he is perswaded that by their means he may do more to Secure the Protestant Interest of this Kingdom which he preserv'd with the hazard of His Life than has been ever done heretofore Those who have a Love for England and the Protestant Interest in Ireland pure and free from all Mean and Self ends do hope that the King had such a Design when he thought of making the Earle of Gallway one of the Triumvirat It happens indeed very Providentially that he 's a Person for his Courage Knowledge Temper and Integrity great in the esteem of the English as well as his own Country-men 'T is to be hop'd then that the great Opinion the French have

of him may encline multitudes of them to come into Ireland and that by means of his Credit with the English Methods may be contriv'd for their Settlement here If any thing of this kind be done there will be many evil men of differing perswasions byass'd by their Privat Interests who will raise loud Clamours and Objections and make it their Business to Obstruct such a Work The design that I had in commiting my rude Thoughts to Writeing was to set people on thinking of what may be for the Publick Interest of this Kingdom and to anticipate all Objections which may be made against Forreigners being Planted here A short Undertaking of this kind may have an use in it which every one does not think of When a Colony of men are Invited or Receiv'd into a Country 't is for the Interest of the Publick that as soon as may be they grow one both in their Interest and affections with the people with whom they are Incorporated This depends very much upon the Inclinations which men have towards them in the begining for if at their first comming in the Inhabitants are Prejudiced against them from hence Animosities will Naturally arise and such ill Blood may by degrees be bred in them as may creat perpetual Feuds opposit to the Interest of the State 'T is convenient therefore that they make their entrance with the good Will and Approbation of the People of the Land This little Discourse may be in some sort useful to that end In it I will shew that 't is the Interest both of Ireland and England to encourage Forreign Protestants to settle here and then I will propose some Incouragement to be given them That 't is the Interest of Ireland to Encourage Forreign Protestants to Live and Settle here 'T is the Interest of Ireland to Encourage Foreign Protestants the Parliament of this Kingdom thought when in the Year 1692. in my Lord Rumney's time they made the Act for Naturalization They knew very well that without many People a Country can be neither Rich nor Secure and that by making their Land a Place of Refuge and Sanctuary for Strangers they took the most effectul course to increase their Strength and add to their Prospority It happens sometimes that Laws which the Wisdom of a Nation sees are for the good of the Common-wealth and are Enacted after the most mature deliberation yet are too freely Censur'd when they thwart the imaginary Interest of Privat men This may very well be suppos'd to be the Fate of a Law which Enfranchises Strangers If a Tradesman who is one of the first Rate Orators among the men of his Tribe fancies that his Condition is rendred worse than 't was before and thereupon Damn Forrigeners and those who made Laws to bring them in others will be ready to follow the Cry without examining whether there was Reason for it or no that a Naturealization in Ireland and the Encouraging such Protestants as the French are particulary for our greatest hopes are from them cannot come under this censure I shall Endeavour to shew Every one who knows the Condition of Ireland at this time and has view'd the Scenes of it's former Troubles must own that that will be of the greatest advantage to it Which will better the present Condition of the Country and which will Settle and Secure it from such troubles and Rebellons as it has formerly been perpetually harass'd with these will be the effects of Encouraging Protestants to Settle here This will make the Condition of the Country better than ' t is The way of the World is when they compare Countrys one with another to take their Estimate from their Wealth and Improvements of all sorts and to set the greatest value on those which are Naturally the best and have the most Artificial Wealth and Furniture in them Otherwise we must say that all Countries are alike and that Holland which makes so great a Figure in Europe is not to be valued above New Holland in Asia which is Discrib'd to be one of the most miserable places in the World We may thus compare a Country with it self and viewing it in differing periods of time reckon it in a better or worse Condition according as we see it Flourish or Decay in it's Improvements or Wealth I 've seen in Sir George Carew's Manuscripts in the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury's Library at Lambeth (a) Ms. marked M. page 49. Ex Arch. Cast Dub. An Extract out of the Archives of the Castle of Dublin which says That formerly for 250 Years together the Customs of the Realm of Ireland did never exceed in any One Year above the Summ of 1000 l. And I find by another Manuscript (b) Lib. XX. p. 62 63. in the same Library That in the Year 1611 in the Reign of King James the First Miles Cogan who took a Survey of the Kingdom Reported that the whole Exportation and Importation of the Country amounted only to 211000 l. No one I suppose will say that the Kingdom was then in as good a condition as it is at this time when the Customs are about 130000 l. And he that considers how many fair Ports do now lie idle how thin of Inhabitants and Un-improved the Land is in most places will hardly say that Ireland cannot be render'd more Flourishing than ' t is It is sure it may but this must be by a greater multitude of People Where there is so much Ground and so few Inhabitants it cannot be imagin'd that the People are able by their utmost Labour and Industry to raise all the rich Commodities and Fruits which 't is naturally apt to produce much less can we imagine how the Countrey shou'd be Beautified and Enrich'd with Improvements How the Foundations of new Towns or Cities should be laid or any considerable Additions made to the Old ones How the Ports should be made use of or Ships sent to Sea when the Commodities of the Countrey lie in the Bowells of the Earth for want of Hands to force them out Or how men shou'd trouble themselves to go to Sea and endanger their Lives in Fishing for Food there when the Earth supplies them with plenty of Provisions and they may live secure in idleness and almost in the forgetfulness of Labour on the dry Land These are the Practices this the Condition of more Populous Countries Where there are abundance of People the Country tho' the Barrenness of the Soil shou'd give the greatest opposition must necessarily become Wealthy Crouds of People upon the Breach of the Roman Empire Raised the great City of Venice on those little Rocks and scraps of Islands which yielded before but an uncomfortable habitation to poor Fishermen The United Provinces which are now one of the great Bulwarks of the Protestant Religion and the Liberties of Europe were formerly we know of no great Consideration till great shoal's of people flock'd in thither and were forc'd in their own Defence

fetter'd by English Statutes This our Friends in England say is Policy and 't is a maxim among them that 't is their Interest to keep Ireland low If by their Interest they mean the Interest of some privat men who have Ends of their own to serve distinct from the Publick Good and if by Ireland they mean the Popish Irish Interest of Ireland then I allow that what they say may be true I think 't is the undoubted Interest of the King and Kingdom of England that those who are of the Protestant Religion and English Interest in Ireland be very numerous and that under them this Kingdom Flourish and grow Rich. The King will allow and so must every one that 't is His Interest to have His Power and Strength increas'd by the increase of Loyal Subjects and his Revenue made greater by the growth of their Wealth And when the thing is duly consider'd it must be allowed that 't is no less the Interest of the Kingdom of England then of the King What can be more convenient for England than to have a Kingdom so near it which will be able to raise and maintain a considerable Body of Protestant Souldiers whenever there is occasion In the time of Edward the First we find it recorded that three several Armies were rais'd of the Kings Subjects in Ireland and Transported one into Scotland another into Wales and the third into Gascoign Edward the Third Imploy'd an Irish Army under the Command of the Earl of Kildare and Faleo de 〈◊〉 F●●yn at the Siege of Callis And Henry the Fifth call'd over the Prior of Kilm●inam with 15●0 Irish to the Seige of 〈◊〉 If it had been the good Fortune of Ireland in former times to be put unto such a Condition by Protestant Plantations that it had been able to maintain an Army this War in Handers it had thereby lessen'd the Change of English which I believe all the People of England will allow had been for their Interest But let us examine a little more nicely whether or no it be more the Interest of England to keep I●eland low than to have it to grow Rich and Flourish by the increase of Protestant People and growth of Trade I do believe that every wise and and considering English man will allow me that scarce any one thing can happen without the Coasts of England that wou'd be more fatal to it than that Ireland shou'd come into the hands of the greatest Power in Europe The Inconveniences that would happen upon it I need not mention Let us see then whether of the two will be likelier to prevent this to keep things in the State they are that is to say to suffer the I●ish Papists who are at least Three times as Numerous as we are and are to a man in the Interest of the French King to exceed us so much in number or to promote our growing more Considerable than we are by the Addition of Protestant People and the increase of Wealth The greater we are in Riches and People the abler we shall be not only to Defeat any Rebellions at home or Descents from abroad which may be ultimatly levell'd against England but also to lend a Considerable Assistanance to our Mother-Country in any necessary War she 's Ingag'd in I think 't is the Opinion of every English man that 't is the undoubted Interest of England to keep Possession of Ireland If so then I wou'd fain see some Reason given why 't is not the Interest of the People of England to render Ireland secure and make it Wealthy as well as England To say that Ireland is a Conquer'd Country is no Reason for wise Nations when they Conquer Countries with a Design to keep them do propose to themselves to add to the Grandeur Strength and Wealth of their own Country by it but how is this to be done but by Improveing their Conquest and by Immunities and Encouragements rendering them as like their own as they can and I think it may seem a little strange that a Nation fam'd for wisdom and Equity as the English are shou'd not after above 520 years possession in a Country so conveniently Situated so good so improveable as Ireland is order things so as that the very name of Conquer'd which has a very mischievous Idea join'd to it and all manner of Jealousies being taken away both Islands might be rendred one in all their Interests If they were made one Kingdom which I wish that this Reign and our present great Ministers of State in England may have the Glory of accomplishing I believe England wou'd then reckon it their Interest to help to make this Country as Considerable and Strong as they cou'd by promoting the increase of our Wealth and the growth of Protestant People and they wou'd no more grumble at our Prosperity than the North of England dos at the happiness of the South If such a Country as Ireland is well peopled and Wealthy were join'd to England just as Wales is I would ask whether England would not be put into a better condition than before The Hollanders who take a great deal of pains to gain ground from the Sea will allow it and he that denies it must be forc'd to own that England is not the better for the Addition of Wales and that 't would be no worse if Wales and many of its own Shires were lopp'd off from it But 't will be said that Ireland is not contiguous and joyn'd to England as I suppose Tho' it be not it may be made one Kingdom with it and then 't would be much the better for being divided from it by the Sea as it is For now the two Islands have more good Ports between them than they would have if they joyn'd together the Wealth and Naval force of England would be greater by means of the Shiping that must be employ'd between the two Countries And 't is sure that we can't easily imagin how great the Power and Wealth of England would be as the Kingdoms are now placed if they were made one Kingdom if England would take off the Shackles of Ireland make us a Free people and we gave Forreign Protestants Encouragement to live here I 'm sure if Ireland had been in such a condition long ago England would have some Millions of Money and a vast Treasure of Men which it now wants But some do imagin that Ireland cannot grow in Wealth but by Impoverishing England or hindering the growth of its Wealth They may as well say that they cannot have a considerable Addition to their Protestant people without making England weaker The Increase of Wealth in Ireland must Increase that of England for whatsoever Fountain our Wealth here springs from what ever Conduits it runs thro' it in the end empties it self in England Ireland may be render'd very Wealthy by a Trade which will not in the least interfere with that of England Ireland is by a great many reckon'd equal to